


Call Me Pidge

by SymphonicFantasia



Series: Just a Shidgen [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, Brother-Sister Relationships, Coming Out, Gen, Male Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Post-Series, Shidge Week 2016, Shidge Week 2016: Coming Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 19:50:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10556736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SymphonicFantasia/pseuds/SymphonicFantasia
Summary: Coming out to your friends is hard. Coming out to your family is harder. Pidge is lucky that he has someone like Shiro to help him through it. Now if only he can get the courage to actually tell them.





	

“You can tell them, Pidge.”

“I can’t, Shiro.”

“They’re your family. They’ll understand.”

“And if they don’t?”

“I don’t ever recall Commander Holt being someone who’s not understanding. The same goes for your mother and Matt.”

Pidge knew that he was right, but fear was kicking his ass. This shouldn’t be the most difficult thing he’s had to do. He helped save the universe! He shouldn’t be afraid to tell his parents that he would like it if they referred to him as a boy. It’s his _family_.

“Will you come with me, Shiro?” Pidge asked. He groaned when Shiro mulled it around in his head. Only when he nodded in agreement did he feel at ease. “Good. I’m going to tell them after dinner. Please tell me you’ll stay for it.”

“I will, Pidge, but you need to relax.” Shiro gave him the confident smile that helped him through many dark times. If he had a shred of doubt during their missions, Shiro was there to banish them away. “They’ll be fine with your choice. They love you.”

“Yeah… Yeah.” His parents loved him.

Dinner was filled with small talk about the Garrison and Team Voltron. Pidge and Shiro spent most of their time up in space, training and working on an alliance between planets. They may have defeated Zarkon, but there were still some things they needed to take care of. Loose ends that required all the Paladins to be a part of. When they found a moment to spare, they returned to Earth to spend some time with their families. Shiro could usually be found with the Holt’s.

Throughout it all, Pidge squirmed in his seat. His father would ask a question and he would jump, his voice pathetically squeaking as he answered. It earned him a few questioning glances, but Shiro was there to divert their concerns elsewhere. What would Pidge do if Shiro hadn’t decided to stay and help him?

Pidge helped his mother with the dishes to keep his hands busy. If his hands weren’t full, he would have picked his cuticles until they bled. It was nice to spend time with his mother. She smiled at him and touched his head, trying to pin down the loose strands of hair that stuck out. It was a futile attempt, but it was a nice feeling. It’s been so long since he last had his mother touch him like this.

With the dishes put away and everyone gathered in the living room, Pidge figured it was time to speak. The conversation was about the Garrison’s next mission up into space. While the castle could easily and quickly take them where they wanted to go, some things were better off the old-fashioned way. Humans reaching distant planets on their own was what the Garrison wanted to do.

Pidge glanced over at Shiro who nodded back at him. Yeah, it was time. He stood up and cleared his throat. “Everyone, I have a strange sort of announcement to make…” All eyes were on him, smiling and encouraging. No, he couldn’t do it. His stomach clenched at the idea of having to speak and ask them. “I… I’m in a serious relationship with Shiro.”

And then all eyes were on Shiro, his parents joyful while Matt eyed him with suspicion. And Shiro looked at Pidge like he sprouted a second head, wide eyed and betrayed.

Pidge did nothing as his parents congratulated him, asking if there were plans for _marriage_ in their future. Matt leaned in close to him, asking when did this happen and if it happened while his father and he were held _captive_. Pidge couldn’t remember her brother ever talking like that. And he still did nothing as Shiro tried to thwart Matt’s accusatory stares and his parent’s questions.

“Wait, wait,” Pidge finally said, burying his face in his hands. “That’s not what I wanted to say.” He groaned and lifted his head. “Please, don’t refer to me as a girl anymore. Start calling me Pidge and calling me a boy and…” He said it in such a rush of breath. Panting, he stared at his family as they stared back at him. All his nerves screamed at him to run, but he was glued to the carpet.

“So, you and Shiro aren’t in a relationship?” her mother asked. Her hand was still on Shiro’s arm. At Pidge’s shaking head, she pulled her hand away and turned more towards him. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner, Ka—Pidge?”

Pidge ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t know how to bring it up or say it… Shiro’s the one who gave me the confidence to tell you about it…”

“You were afraid to tell us?” Mr. Holt asked, his brow furrowed.

“A little…” Pidge could see Shiro and Matt exchange glances with each other. “I just wasn’t sure how you’d react. I was ready to send myself back into space and stay up there for the rest of my life.”

His skin crawled when his parents looked at one another. The feeling eased away as his mother reached out to him, extending her arms for a hug. Pidge rubbed at his nose and walked to the couch, slipping into the spot that Shiro left for him as he moved to stand behind them. Sitting in the center of his family, he was enveloped by his mother and father, their arms wrapping around him tightly. Matt reached between them and squeezed at his shoulder.

“Pidge, we love you no matter what,” Mrs. Holt said. She kissed his temple and held him closer still. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy, girl, or… what’s that cute bear creature you showed me that they had on Altea?”

“A Klanmurl,” Pidge answered. He smiled, though, understanding what they meant. It didn’t matter what Pidge decided to consider himself as; his parents would love him no matter what. “Thanks, Mom.”

He looked up when Shiro placed a hand on his head. They smiled at each other, feeling at peace with how it played out. 

* * *

“I think that went well.”

Pidge groaned. He rubbed at his eyes as a chuckle bubbled out of him. “I’m a fool. I can’t believe I really believed my family wouldn’t be understanding and welcoming to it.”

Shiro chuckled. He drove them towards the edge of town so that they could return to the desert. The Green Lion waited for them there, ready to take them back to Castle Lion. “I told you that they would. I think you’ve been too use to how wrong missions can play out. Family discussions aren’t a mission, Pidge.” He eyed him, though. A glare that lasted ten seconds before he returned his focus back on the road. “But if you tell them that we’re in a relationship again, I might have to start a mutiny.”

“Sorry,” he apologized, giving him a sheepish grin. “It’s the first thing that popped into my head when I didn’t want to talk about the _actual_ topic.”

“You could have said Keith, or Hunk, or Lance. Heck, even Allura.” Shiro shook his head, but his smile never wavered. “I don’t think I’ll ever get the sound of Matt whispering in my ear, threatening to upend my life if I did anything wrong to you.”

“He said that?” Pidge barked out a laugh, tilting his head back. “Oh, man. Matt’s changed since we rescued him.”

“We’ve _all_ changed, Pidge.” Shiro drove them out into the desert, the wheels kicking up dust as they moved. “It’s what the war does.” He reached over and squeezed at his shoulder. “But it doesn’t change who we are.”

Pidge smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. “Yeah… You’re right.”

**Author's Note:**

> This one gave me a hard time. I tried Pidge coming out to the team, but it didn't work. I tried them coming out to Shiro and it didn't work. It makes sense for Pidge to at least do it to they're family, right? If anyone who's ever come out to their families doesn't like the way that I did it, please let me know. I couldn't find anyone's stories on how they did it and my little brother wasn't home to tell me, either. I probably can't change it, but I'd like to apologize if it's all wrong.


End file.
